Indoor Mask Mandate Reinstated In Baltimore City
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- The indoor mask mandate was reinstated in Baltimore City Thursday, Mayor Brandon Scott announced Thursday.
The mandate goes into effect 9 a.m. Monday.
The mask mandate is universal, applying to anyone regardless of vaccination status. Health Commissioner Dr. Letitia Dzirasa said the Delta variant spread is the key driver in reinstating the indoor mask mandate.
"The Delta variant is here, and it poses a serious threat to our unvaccinated residents," said Health Commissioner Dzirasa. "I'm speaking to you not just as the Health Commissioner but as a mother of a child that is too young to be vaccinated. We have the ability to slow the spread COVID-19 and the actions we all take collectively will protect the most vulnerable among us."
The Mayor's office said as of Wednesday, the percentage of new COVID-19 cases increased 374% in the last four weeks, and positivity has increased by 364% in the past four weeks.
Mayor Scott stressed the importance of vaccinations in combatting the virus, saying "everyone should stop being selfish, and get vaccinated."
"This pandemic is not over and we must all do our due diligence to protect ourselves and our neighbors," said Mayor Scott. "While we know that masking is a sure way to slow the spread of COVID-19, we cannot stress enough the importance and urgency of getting vaccinated so that we can beat COVID-19 for good."
